1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to elevator control circuitry, and more particularly to a means for setting door operating torque and closing speed according to phase 1, alternate and phase 2 signal status.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Hmelovsky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,481 describes an elevator system including a microprocessor-based cab controller mounted directly on an elevator car, which controls the operation of the elevator door. Elevator door motion is commanded in response to the difference in actual door velocity from a desired, dictated door velocity in accordance with desired rates of acceleration and deceleration, maximum velocity, acceleration and deceleration, the point at which deceleration is to begin, and a velocity at which deceleration is to decrease. The disclosed invention provides selective modification in maximum velocity along with the point at which deceleration is to begin, the velocity at which deceleration is to decrease along with the point at which deceleration is to begin, and/or simply the point where deceleration is to begin, so that door velocity profiles may be tailored to suit any particular door of a given type. An exemplary environment for and details of the present invention are disclosed.
Trosky et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,795 describes an elevator servicing method and apparatus which detects and stores information relative to user-defined intermittent conditions, or other abnormal operating conditions. The stored information is reproduced for evaluation and analysis in a manner selected by the user, such as on a video monitor and/or a printer.
Doane et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,093 describes a computer-controlled system, such as an elevator, that is tested by augmenting computer operation with a diagnostic device containing a computer and coded diagnostic programs that a service technician identifies through a keyboard using diagnostic test codes that appear on an overlay which contains special codes and identifiers associated with numerical displays and lights on the diagnostic device for correlating test results to the test performed according to the program.
Moore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,243 describes a method of integrating an expert system having a knowledge base of elevator trouble-shooting information into the working environment of elevator service personnel, without special training of such personnel, and without compromising the security of the knowledge base. The method includes an interactive initialization procedure which includes successive, successful user and knowledge base initiated communication links between the user and knowledge base, before actual access to the knowledge base is permitted.
Hinderling, U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,865 describes a system for remote management including central management, planning and rationalization of the upkeep of elevator installations. The system comprises a modularly constructed remote management system, which makes possible the management centrally, the inspection regionally and the monitoring of decentralized processes locally of elevator installations. The management exchange is connected by modem and telephone network with the regional exchanges and has access to all relevant data. The regional exchange permits an inspection of all processes of several buildings. Direct speech connections with all the peripheral devices are by means or remote alarms from the regional exchange. For each building, a communications module manages the data traffic between the regional exchange and the processes to be inspected in the building. The process data is detected by a peripheral module, which is capable of diagnosis, and is processed further into relevant operational, fault and alarm reports with the aid of heuristic operating means. The peripheral module reports diagnostic data by way of the common building bus to the communications module, which transmits the data to the regional exchange by means of automatic telephone dialing.
Farrar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,158 describes an elevator system having a door operator with a door operator motor and a dedicated microprocessor for storing door open and door close cycles. The microprocessor initiates door open and close cycles responsive to external door open and door close commands. Preferably the microprocessor stores a plurality of door closed cycles in which the elevator controller selects one of the cycles when issuing a door closed command.
Schienda et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,604 describes an apparatus connected by way of a serial communication link to at least one computer-based elevator controller in order to monitor the diagnostic output of each connected controller. The diagnostic output of a controller is determined in a manner by which the elevator system is modeled as normally operating sequentially from state to state in a closed loop sequence of linked operating states. Any deviations from this sequence generate diagnostic messages that are communicated from the controller to the monitoring apparatus. Also communicated are the last to occur of a plurality of parameter signal state changes. The monitoring apparatus processes the diagnostic signals for visual and/or hard copy display to interested elevator personnel in a meaningful way. Further, the monitoring apparatus provides a plurality of signals to the elevator controller indicative of corresponding reference standards that the elevator controller utilizes in determining the occurrence of certain elevator event conditions.
Ovaska et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,621 describes a method and apparatus for the measurement and tuning of an elevator system including at least one elevator having an elevator car and its control and driving equipment. The method uses at least one computer connected to the system. The elevator system is measured and tuned using virtual measuring and tuning components operated by programs of the computer.
Uetani, U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,176 describes an apparatus for setting a control operation specification for an elevator. The apparatus includes an operation specification storage device for storing a plurality of operation specifications used to control the elevator, a setting condition storage device for storing setting conditions, a display device for displaying the operation specifications as well as the setting conditions which determine how the operation specifications can be modified, an input device for inputting a modified operation specification, and a determination device for determining whether or not the operation specification stored in the operation specification storage device can be modified to the operation specification which has been input from the input device on the basis of the setting conditions stored in the setting condition storage device and the present operation specification.
Barten et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,566 describes a method for adjusting an elevator door including the steps of selecting an elevator door adjustment task from a task list which is provided by an elevator door controller. The elevator door controller is adapted to control the phase, voltage and torque of an elevator door motor. The controller is provided with an elevator door adjustment program which is adapted to provide a set of program prompts to a service person who inputs elevator door parameters in response to the set of program prompts. The parameters are then stored in a memory accessible to said elevator door controller the elevator door in thereafter controlled in accordance with the inputted parameters.
Nieminen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,894 describes a procedure that supplies and modifies the data required in the control system of an elevator and for displaying the instructions needed for installation, maintenance and adjustment on a display comprised in the control system. The parameter data of the elevator control system and the instructions for each person carrying out maintenance work are stored in a separate storage unit. When modification or maintenance work is being carried out, a communication link is established between the storage unit and the data storage means of a control unit included in the control system. The data stored in the storage unit is read and saved in the control unit and the modifications and actions required by the data read from the storage unit are carried out in the control unit.
Ludwig, WO93/16949 describes a start-up procedure for, and device for operating, a controlled-operation sliding door, in particular a lift door. The procedure is intended for post-installation start-up purposes or for start-up after a repair involving a change in the operating conditions, as well as for subsequent operation of the door. The door has a drive motor with a digital pulse generator, the door further having a programmable electronic control unit. The control unit determines the door parameters itself by carring out specified test runs and fees the results to a non-volatile memory, e.g. a serial EE-PROM, for use as door-control parameters.
The prior art teaches elevator door motion modification, servicing methods, control via software, remote installation management, microprocessor door operation, diagnostic management, tuning an elevator system, control operation setting, door adjustment, handling control data. However, the prior art does not does not appear to teach the use of a circuit to upgrade an elevator control circuit using controlled switching of impedances into the field and armature of an elevator door control circuit, and coupled therewith, a logic circuit for applying the impedances according to the appearance of phase 1, alternate and phase 2 signals. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
The invention is a method for upgrading an elevator control circuit having a phase 1, alternate and phase 2 input circuits, and includes placing a first impedance of a switching means across a door motor armature of the elevator control circuit for enabling a selected door closure speed, and placing a second impedance of the switching means in series with a door motor field of the elevator control circuit for enabling a selected door operating torque. The method further provides a logic circuit enabling the impedances when an input signal is present at, at least one of, the phase 1 and the alternate input circuits; and disabling the impedances when an input signal is present at the phase 2 input circuit.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of being used with existing elevator control circuits to upgrade such circuits to meet current code standards.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of a highly simplified and fast installation.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of controlling selected auxiliary circuit functions.